Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 25 reports on residential services for people with disabilities. HIQA inspects against the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities, which apply to residential and respite services in Ireland.

Of the 25 reports published today, 14 centres were found to have a good level of compliance with the regulations and standards. Inspections in eight centres operated by eight different providers found that services were being delivered in line with residents’ assessed needs. These providers are KARE, Prosper Fingal Limited, RehabCare, RK Respite Services Ltd, St John of God Services, St Margaret’s Centre, The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland and Waterford Intellectual Disability Association.

HIQA visited two community-based centres run by Stewarts Care Limited. One respite centre was providing residents with a good standard of care and support consistent with their needs. However, an inspection of another centre found that the provider had continued to fail to provide a safe and reliable service which adequately protected residents from the risk of abuse.

In a centre operated by The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland, a good level of care and support was provided to residents; however improvements were required in planning and goal setting for residents, and in managing fire risks.

Three reports have been published for centres operated by St Joseph’s Foundation. While evidence of good practice was found in all three centres, some improvements were required to meet residents’ communication needs and in medicines management.

Six reports refer to St Michael’s House centres. Inspections in five centres found good compliance with regulations and standards. In the other centre, HIQA found that management of residents’ healthcare needs, such as hydration care, and management of risks needed to be improved.  

Inspections in three Sunbeam House centres have also been published today. HIQA had issued a notice to cancel the registration of one centre and the provider had submitted representation to the Chief Inspector of Social Services in HIQA. The inspection found that the provider had failed to implement their own plan contained in their representation and residents continued to be adversely impacted. Improvements in meeting the assessed needs of residents were required in a second centre, and in a third centre, the provider had failed to meet their legal requirements in relation to submitting an accurate and complete application to renew the registration.

Two reports refer to centres operated by Peamount Healthcare. Inspections in both centres found that the provider had failed to ensure sufficient staffing levels in line with residents’ assessed needs. As a result, the provider failed to ensure residents’ safety and that residents’ dignity was protected at all times.